Chapter 139: Consecutive Victories, Encountering Li Feng in the Promotion Match

Before flying into the Cloud Gate, there had still been figures around, but the moment he entered the Cloud Gate, they vanished without a trace.

The clouds and mist ahead churned, revealing a floating circular stone platform, ten meters in radius, shrouded in a pale yellow barrier.

"Preparation Platform." Zhao Xing landed within the barrier, then took out his Earth Mirror.

The Nine-Section Arena could filter opponents and filter environments, but these functions were all still locked.

"I currently have no rating, so I can only be randomly matched against opponents who also have no rating, nor can I choose an environment, nor accept challenge invitations."

"Then let's raise my rating first."

Zhao Xing tapped to match an opponent on the Earth Mirror.

"Buzz~"

Soon, a notification came through on the Earth Mirror.

【Shenwei Army's Zhao Xing, you have been randomly matched against opponent 'Zhang Hao' (Zhenhai Army)】.

【Random environment is 'Spring Grassland'.】

【Combat will begin in sixty breaths. Please prepare.】

"Buzz~"

Within the pale yellow barrier, a beam of golden light shone upon Zhao Xing, coating him with a layer of pale gold, but the glow quickly faded.

【Path-Protecting Barrier (Micro)】

【Effect: Protects the trainee from fatal damage, rapidly heals ordinary injuries.】

"Personal version of the Path-Protecting Barrier."

Zhao Xing moved his body around and found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Even with Inner Observation of the Five Elements, I can't detect any difference from usual."

"In truth, there's a layer of barrier protection on my body's surface."

"If I take a fatal attack, the battle ends immediately, and the trainee themselves won't actually be harmed."

"Ordinary attacks won't be blocked by the Path-Protecting Barrier, but once accumulated damage reaches a critical threshold, the battle will also end immediately, teleporting both parties out of the combat arena."

After the battle ends, the Preparation Platform can also rapidly restore the trainee's vitality and heal ordinary injuries.

It claims to heal ordinary injuries, but in reality, as long as one doesn't die on the spot, they can be saved. That's because the Dao Origin Bead is a supreme-grade treasure—even its ordinary functions far surpass those of typical treasures. Below fifth-grade, no matter how severe the injury, it's a trivial matter.

When matching an opponent, the Earth Mirror also provides brief information on the opponent, such as their affiliated army, training sessions, arena points, and so on.

"Zhenhai Army's Zhang Hao? Never heard of him." Zhao Xing glanced casually and found that this Zhang Hao still had 0 points, with 4 sessions. Clearly also a fresh blank account that had just joined, so he put away the Earth Mirror and waited quietly.

On another Preparation Platform, a baby-faced plump youth also received the battle notification.

But the moment he saw the name, Zhang Hao's face turned bitter.

"Shenwei Army's Zhao Xing? How did I get matched against him? Could it be that this genius only came to the arena to train today?"

Zhao Xing was now quite famous within the Agricultural Supervisorate as well. Though Zhang Hao had never seen Zhao Xing in person, he also knew this was an upper-grade-A genius from the Geography Academy, who during the last mandatory training had even outshone Zhuang Ziqing.

"Damn, I'm getting beaten up again in this match."

Zhang Hao sighed, put away his Earth Mirror, and waited for the battle to begin.

Sixty breaths later.

The barrier on the Preparation Platform opened, and the surrounding clouds all dispersed one after another.

Zhao Xing looked up at the sky—it was a clear, washed blue—and three meters below was a stretch of grassland.

"The combat area is 40 mu, roughly the size of four soccer fields."

"As time goes on, the barrier at the outer edge of the arena will shrink, until it shrinks down to 5 mu and stops changing."

"Earth Vein Stealth can only dive down to about a hundred meters at most."

Whoosh~ Zhao Xing jumped down from the Preparation Platform and landed on the grassland.

Activating the Bright Pupil spell, a figure appeared in the distance—it was Zhang Hao.

The two were a thousand meters apart. The other party also saw Zhao Xing and, without a word, began Riding Clouds to seize air superiority.

"Soldier Cloud Art? Looks like it's only at the Seven-Turn level."

Zhao Xing only glanced briefly and roughly estimated Zhang Hao's general strength.

He couldn't even be bothered to contest for Riding Clouds, directly commanding the Lesser Nine Heavens Gang Wind as he flew toward Zhang Hao.

"Hm? He's not even casting Riding Clouds, looking down on me that much?" Zhang Hao saw Zhao Xing charging over so brazenly and immediately felt a bit annoyed.

Damn, he's looking down on people too much. Sure, you're a genius, but at least show some respect for the basic rules of internal Agricultural duels—fighting without even summoning a cloud?

"I think you're asking for a beating!"

Seeing Zhao Xing enter the coverage range of his cloud layer, Zhang Hao immediately summoned lightning to strike down at Zhao Xing.

"Boom-crack!"

The lightning struck Zhao Xing, but his speed remained undiminished, continuing to fly forward as if nothing had happened.

"What? My mid-grade Six-Turn lightning art couldn't even scratch him?"

Zhang Hao refused to believe it and frantically summoned lightning.

"Boom Boom Boom!"

Lightning nearly drowned Zhao Xing, and the surrounding sky flickered between light and dark. Amidst this flickering, Zhao Xing arrived before Zhang Hao like a phantom.

"You—how is this possible..." Zhang Hao stared dumbfounded at the scene.

"Whoosh~" A cyan wind blew forth, the gang wind as solid as substance, like an azure dragon descending, slamming violently into Zhang Hao.

Before the other party could react, he was sent flying directly.

"Pfft~" Zhang Hao had no time to cast a spell to resist. His entire body flew backward, and while airborne, a flash of golden light appeared on him—the Path-Protecting Barrier judged that the limit had been reached, and he was immediately teleported back to the Preparation Platform.

The battle ended.

The next moment, Zhao Xing also returned to the Preparation Platform, and the surroundings became hazy once more, unable to see the outside.

【Arena Victory: You have gained 1 Dojo Point.】

His net wins also became 1.

As for his star rating, it still hadn't changed, because it takes three net wins to accumulate 1 star.

"Not a bit of pressure." Zhao Xing glanced at the Earth Mirror and immediately clicked match again.

Before the Branch Academy Trial, at the beginning of March, his Minor Nine Heavens Gang Wind had reached the third revolution, and Rolling Ground Thunder the fourth revolution.

Now it was already July the sixteenth. After the Branch Academy Trial, through 【Unable to Train】 and 【Supply Training】, the two spells Zhao Xing had only learned after entering the academy had reached the eighth and ninth revolution levels respectively.

The period of greatest progress was during 【Supply Training】.

During Supply Training, how much time did farming take?

Three hours a day on average was already the absolute maximum.

Zhao Xing had nothing else to practice at the time, so he could only train his spells.

Therefore, during the 【Supply Training】 period, his spells improved tremendously.

"Third revolution: ride the gang wind and travel, body follows the wind, sound follows the body."

"Sixth revolution: gang wind encircles, Azure Dragon guards the body, all arts fail to penetrate."

"Ninth revolution: Azure Dragon emerges, ravages the world."

"I can now control eight streams of gang wind, and the power of each one has reached the standard of late-stage eighth-grade Spirit Bridge."

"An ordinary Military Agricultural Official, if their defensive spell is slightly weak, once the gang wind blows, the protective Dao barrier will register a fatal wound, and the battle is over."

Zhao Xing waited for the match, figuring that in the earlier first-tier ratings, it should be relatively easy.

The opponents matched in the 【Dojo】 were all relatively weak, but the further you go the harder it gets — the matches are all against strong players with long win streaks or many net wins.

【Divine Might Army Zhao Xing, you have been randomly matched against opponent 'Zheng Zongsheng' (Blazing Sun Army).】

【Random environment: 'Autumn Maple Forest'.】

【Combat will begin in sixty breaths. Please prepare.】

Hum~

The surrounding scenery changed; the preparation platform appeared within a maple forest.

Autumn wind bleak, maple leaves drifting.

His vision was obstructed, but this did not hinder him.

Because the opponent was spreading clouds.

Based on how the cloud layer was unfolding, Zhao Xing quickly judged the opponent's approximate position.

"Whoosh~"

Zhao Xing instantly appeared above Zheng Zongsheng's head.

Then, amid the opponent's shocked gaze, the gang wind Azure Dragon shattered the opponent's protective clear wind, and the battle ended.

Second match, victory!

A moment later.

"What?" The opponent was once again defeated before they could react.

Third match, victory!

Fourth match, victory!

Fifth match, victory!

Sixth match, victory

……

Zhao Xing quickly accumulated a twenty-one match win streak, and his star rating finally reached seven stars.

"Win two more, and I advance to first tier, and then I can see the rankings."

Below first tier, everyone is a newbie — no specific rankings are shown.

"Hope some strong opponents show up." Zhao Xing muttered.

In those 21 straight wins just now, he didn't even bother spreading clouds, winning from start to finish purely through the gang wind spell.

Rush in, knock the opponent down, victory.

Far too simple — not a shred of training effect.

He wanted to test what he'd learned, but the opponents were too weak; it was hard to get interested.

In those first twenty-one matches, Zhao Xing, this top-grade superior talent, was completely bullying newbies.

【Divine Might Army Zhao Xing, you have been randomly matched against opponent 'Li Feng' (Tiger Crocodile Army).】

【Random environment: 'Summer Flower Sea'.】

【Combat will begin in sixty breaths. Please prepare.】

"Hm? Li Feng?"

Seeing this familiar name, Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.

Truly, enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road.

First match of the promotion series, and he ran into Li Feng.

"Hope you've made some progress, kid." Zhao Xing put away the Earth Mirror and quietly waited for the battle to begin.

On the other side, Li Feng, who had just achieved a twenty-one match win streak, also received the battle notification.

"Divine Might Army, Zhao Xing?"

"A promotion battle, and I actually ran into him?!"

Li Feng's eyes instantly lit up with spirit.

? ttkΛn? co

Before, in the branch academy sparring tournament, it was precisely because of Zhao Xing that he was eliminated early, missing the chance to enter the Four Great Academies, and in the end only received a Grade C-Upper treatment.

Ashamed and then brave, Li Feng ranked sixth in the Tiger Flood Dragon Army's internal selection, yet couldn't even enter the Four Great Academies. From then on, Li Feng trained desperately, exerting all his effort to cultivate.

That is why he has only come to the Nine-Section Dojo now.

"Good, today I will definitely wash away my past shame!" Li Feng won twenty-one consecutive matches, and in the last supply training, he achieved tenth place, his resources also upgraded to Grade A-Upper.

Now he could be said to be brimming with confidence, his momentum also at its peak.

Encountering Zhao Xing, he wasn't flustered at all; instead, his heart was full of anticipation.

"Today's battle is the moment I, Li Feng, return to my peak!"

Hum~

After sixty breaths, the barrier on the preparation platform opened, and the surrounding scenery became clear.

White clouds dotted the sky, a gentle breeze blew, and the flower sea on the ground bent low, waves of fragrance drifting over.

"Swish~"

A figure appeared in the distance. Li Feng looked ahead and immediately saw a stream of cyan wind rushing toward him like a swimming dragon.

"Not even putting up a cloud? Hmph, how arrogant!"

Li Feng also didn't put up a cloud, but cast his spell on the spot.

Although he was confident, the scene of being defeated by Swallowing Cloud was still fresh in his mind. Deep down he was unwilling to admit it, but Zhao Xing's cloud techniques were indeed powerful.

The Swallowing Cloud technique is reputed to be the ultimate among cloud techniques. Now that Zhao Xing was giving up his advantage, Li Feng certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to put up a cloud and clash head-on.

"Gang Wind Transforms Earth, Rise!"

Li Feng gave a low shout, and then the surrounding wind spiraled around him, sweeping up waves of flowers, grass, and earth from the ground.

"Chichi chi~"

Earth, grass roots, and flower petals gathered with the wind, actually forming solid bodies.

Among them, four bodies were humanoid, overall cyan in color, resembling Li Feng's appearance.

Two of them gripped dark-yellow battle sabers, and two held gray long spears.

The other five bodies resembled fierce tiger strange beasts, resplendently colorful, extremely wondrous.

"Gang Wind technique combined with Mysterious Earth technique? In the five elements, wind overcomes earth, yet his Gang Wind technique can actually use earth. Oh? He's also utilizing the flower sea below? Attempting to merge three techniques into one?"

"He's got something. His Gang Wind technique is the strongest, at least reaching the eighth revolution; the Earth technique is next, and the Wood technique is the weakest. Merging three techniques into one, its power is quite impressive." Zhao Xing watched Li Feng cast his spell, a flash of excitement passing through his eyes.

Not a single Grade A-Upper genius was simple. Back then at the Ten Thousand Li Lei Chi, although Li Feng had been ambushed by him, at that time Li Feng had fought over a dozen opponents single-handedly, and in the end it was Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran and the others who fell.

He was beaten down in the Cloud Technique examination, but Li Feng's own strength was completely worthy of Grade A-Upper resources.

"His Wood technique is similar to 'grass and trees all becoming soldiers,' only at the beginner level, but being able to attempt merging three techniques into one and even grasping a smattering of it is already enough to crush the other geniuses."

"Azure Dragon Emerges!"

Zhao Xing stepped on rising clouds and released all eight streams of Gang Wind surrounding him.

The cyan Gang Wind took the form of dragons, howling as they charged toward Li Feng, separately entangling the saber-men, spear-men, and tiger-beasts.

But one tiger-beast was let through.

"I could use Kui Niu Thunder Roar to shatter this tiger-beast, but that would be pointless." Zhao Xing pointed a finger. "Mist Shadow!"

Hum~

A thick fog suddenly rose around them, spreading in rings encircling the flower sea, with only the inner ring remaining transparent and unaffected.

Zhao Xing stepped back, vanishing into the fog, and the pursuing tiger-beast immediately lost its target.

"Hmm? Disappeared?" Li Feng looked at the fog rising around him, a flash of wariness crossing his mind. He tried to use Five Elements Observation and Bright Pupils to locate him, but completely lost any trace of Zhao Xing.

Li Feng tried to raise his altitude, but immediately a voice came: "Li Feng, if you fly out of my fog ring, I'll have to use my cloud techniques."

"You..." Li Feng was momentarily stunned, then flew into a rage. "Bastard, you're using me to practice?!"

"I won't use cloud techniques, and you don't fly out of my fog ring, and I absolutely won't expand the range. You and I will duel right here in this area."

"If you can break my technique, I'll count it as your win."

"Hmph, what do you mean 'count it as my win'? Even if you use cloud techniques, I'll still win!"

"But since you want a quick defeat, I'll grant your wish!"

Li Feng said this with his mouth, but in the end he didn't continue to rise. He also didn't want to drag this battle out into a tedious affair.

Otherwise, if both sides contested the clouds, and the flower sea map wasn't small, how long would they have to fight?

"Squelch~" The moment he descended, Li Feng felt the ground slip beneath him, nearly losing his footing.

"Hmm?" Li Feng looked down. When had frost formed on the ground? "Damn, I've fallen right into this guy's trap!"

This is yesterday's third update. The author is going to write today's right away.

When I woke up, there was another Alliance Leader today. Thanks to Captain Piao Yao for the tip! Big shot, so generous!

Counting the extra updates for Alliance Leaders and monthly votes this month, I still owe four updates.

I'll definitely pay them all back this month!